Need News? Start Skimming

Nearly a year ago, my friend Marisa told me about theSkimm, a new way to read the news. We were abroadin Argentina and in many ways we were entirely disconnected from all things American. Our daily news digest focused heavily on the newest Pope (most importantly that he was Argentine) or the results of the most recent soccer match.

To be quite honest, when my friend first tried to sell me on theSkimm, I didn’t think much of it. My initial and naïve reaction was ‘I always know what’s going on in the world’ but this was so wrong. After she mentioned it a few times, I finally gave it a Google. Turns out she was right on the money. Hopefully you won’t make the same mistake I did.

Without fail theSkimm enters my inbox at 6:00 AM every morning and one of the few e-mails I actually enjoy reading. It is a daily e-mail newsletter and designed to be accessible while finding the courage to get out from under your covers, brushing your teeth or hustling to catch the 1 train. In about 5 minutes, you will know what is happening in the world, ranging from international news to important pop culture buzz.

Prior to reading theSkimm, I would open The New York Times on my computer and quite honestly feel overwhelmed. Even after reading the major stories of the day, it felt like I was missing the relevant information. This is where theSkimm can help. For every major, complex conflict mentioned in the newsletter, there will always be a few sentences of background to provide much needed nuance and context, such as why Ukraine and Russia haven’t been getting along lately.

It isn’t always easy to admit that we don’t have enough time to read the paper everyday or track a news story from inception. But theSkimm is here to make our lives just a little bit easier in the midst of long hours in Butler and overflowing calendars so take one simple click and sign up.

Current events for the girl on the go.

For more ways to stay in the know, check out this post featuring theSkimm.

Nicole Klein is a senior at Barnard and a guest contributor for The Nine Ways of Knowing.